Canadian plasma clinics pause collections after deaths of two donors

Grifols Halts Plasma Donations Following Donor Deaths and Regulatory Scrutiny

Wanderstayfinder.com – A major Canadian plasma donation network has suspended its collection operations after two donors died during procedures and a federal health agency uncovered multiple compliance failures. Grifols, the Spanish healthcare corporation operating seventeen clinics across Canada, announced Wednesday that it would temporarily halt all plasma collections while it addresses concerns raised by Health Canada. The suspension comes on the heels of a formal notice of non-compliance issued by the federal health agency. That notice cited Grifols for failing to adhere to established blood regulations, according to a senior official who spoke with the Globe and Mail. The timing suggests a coordinated response to mounting pressure from patient advocates, regulators, and media scrutiny.

Two Donor Deaths Spark Investigation

Health Canada confirmed in March that two donors experienced fatal outcomes following plasma collections. The first occurred in October 2025, and the second in January 2026. Both individuals were residents of Manitoba, the province where Grifols maintains a significant operational presence. Friends of the deceased reported that both donors went into “distress” while undergoing the donation process. While Health Canada has not publicly identified the individuals, patient advocates have been vocal about the cases. One of the deceased was Rodiyat Alabede, a twenty-two-year-old international student from Nigeria who aspired to become a social worker. Alabede donated plasma in Winnipeg on October 25, 2025.

Questions About Screening and Safety Protocols

By late May, patient advocates had raised serious concerns about whether Alabede received adequate screening before donation. Kat Lanteigne, a safe blood campaigner representing Alabede’s family, stated that clinic staff were extracting plasma from donors without proper training or safety knowledge.

“They had staff taking plasma from donors who did not know how to extract plasma in a safe manner,” Lanteigne alleged. “The [failures] were so egregious that … now we have more questions than answers.”

An autopsy revealed that Alabede died of cardiac arrest shortly after her donation. Health Canada subsequently reported finding “no link” between the death and the plasma collection procedure. However, patient advocates have demanded a new inquest, citing what they describe as “significant medical discrepancies” between the autopsy results—completed two days after Alabede’s death—and a medical summary published by Health Canada on March 27.

Inspection Reports Reveal Systemic Issues

The Guardian has reviewed Health Canada inspection reports from May that documented multiple deficiencies at Grifols facilities. These included inadequate staff training, failures in standard operating procedures, poor record-keeping practices, and a failure to address previously identified problems. The inspection reports also noted that clinic staff did not halt plasma collection when safety alarms activated. Additionally, the company’s incident reporting was characterized as both “incomplete” and “inaccurate.” Prior to the current pause, Grifols permitted donations twice weekly, compensating donors with up to C$100 per session.

Understanding Plasma and the Donation Process

Plasma is a pale yellow, protein-rich component of blood that facilitates the transport of red and white blood cells, along with platelets, through the vascular system. According to Canadian Blood Services, the nonprofit organization managing Canada’s national blood supply, plasma also plays a critical role in preventing excessive bleeding. Beyond its physiological functions, plasma serves as a raw material for medications treating conditions such as haemophilia, liver disease, and various forms of cancer. The plasma donation procedure differs substantially from traditional blood donation. An apheresis machine draws blood from the donor, separates it into individual components, collects the necessary portions, and returns the remaining blood to the body. This process requires approximately ninety minutes, compared to the ten minutes needed for a standard blood draw.

Provincial Regulations and Industry Landscape

Canada’s approach to paid plasma clinics varies by jurisdiction. British Columbia and Quebec prohibit the practice entirely, while Manitoba—the province where both donor deaths occurred—allows companies to compensate donors for plasma. This regulatory patchwork has created a complex operational environment for companies like Grifols. Grifols stated that the decision to pause collections was made “proactively and voluntarily” in response to what the company termed “unfounded attention.” The corporation emphasized that the suspension would provide an opportunity to collaborate with both Health Canada and Canadian Blood Services to address identified concerns.

Looking Ahead

On Friday, Health Canada announced that it had identified “various deficiencies” specifically at the Taylor Avenue Grifols location in Winnipeg. A spokesperson for that facility confirmed that staff were working closely with the company to restore normal operations as quickly as possible. Despite the controversies, Grifols maintains that the two deaths were not connected to plasma donation. The company has assured the public that the temporary suspension will not affect the safety or security of Canada’s blood and plasma supply. The pause represents more than a procedural adjustment—it signals a moment of reckoning for Canada’s private plasma donation industry. As regulators review Grifols’ practices and patient advocates continue to push for transparency, the outcome could reshape how paid plasma clinics operate across the country. For donors, the implications are clear: the process that provides financial compensation and supports medical research is now under closer scrutiny than ever before.